Sharing genealogy resources and local history tidbits for Kalamazoo, Michigan and the surrounding area.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

On Rounds With A Census Taker: 1910

If you've ever looked at a census
record you may have wondered exactly what a typical day making rounds
was like. One Kalamazoo Telegraph reporter happened to be friends
with an census taker and reportedly spent a morning with him. The
unnamed enumerator was one of twenty-six who began canvassing
Kalamazoo city in mid-April, 1910. [1] The census taker brought with
him a badge provided by the U.S. government that he could keep when
he had completed his duties. [1] In addition, each carried a
parchment stating that the U.S. Government gave him/her the authority
to enumerate the population. [2] Among his instructions, the
supervisor told his staff to “listen closely when people talk.”
Armed with their census books and full fountain pens they set off.
[2]

No one was home at the first door they
approached so the enumerator left a census schedule behind. He hoped
they would have it filled out when he returned with his supplemental
schedule (for any household not enumerated on the first attempt). [2]
According to the reporter, an old man, Michael Flynn, came out and
informed them the family was away for a few days. [2] He said he
lived alone upstairs in the barn where he kept his shop. [2] Flynn
continued, “When we came over from County Cork there were five of
us. Soon the first two children died. Nora, my wife, went eight
years ago too, and now all I have is my boy Terence. He lives in
Chicago.” All the while, the enumerator scribbled everything onto
his form. “'How old are you?' he asked. 'Let me see,' pondered
Flynn. 'I was naturalized in '70 and then I was 34 years old. That
makes--' But the enumerator already had him down as 74, widowed,
blank under number of years married, three children born and one
living, born in Ireland, father and mother both born in Ireland,
immigrated in 1861, naturalized, speaks English, mechanic at odd
jobs, working on own account, able to read and write, rents home,
veteran of the union army, and possessed of his faculties of seeing
and hearing.” [3]

During the course of the morning they
found numerous people away from home. When wives couldn't recall
their husband's ages more second visits would be required. Two
traveling men, however, were enumerated from information provided by
family members. “It is possible I am duplicating enumerators in
other cities with these two men. . . We take in all hotels. But
nearly every traveling man who has a home will tell an enumerator so
and thus be left out of the enumeration in the city in which he
happens to be visiting. The home is the only basis for accuracy,”
explained the census man. [3]

At one neat, little house they came
upon a woman who evidently hailed from the Netherlands. She feigned
ignorance of English, but when it became clear to her that neither
taxes nor money was wanted she “suddenly developed a very good
knowledge of the English language. She poured forth the desired
information so rapidly that Uncle Sam's census taker had to sling ink
at lightning speed to keep up with her flow of talk.” [3]

At another house, a Polish woman really
didn't understand English. Fortunately, the census taker was
prepared, and displayed his proclamation printed in Polish. The
woman then brought her daughter from within to translate. [3] One
stubborn Polish man refused to answer any questions, only responding
“to he--” with the police and the government, even when
threatened with fines and imprisonment. [4]
The area supervisor would have to try wringing the information from
him. [4]

According to the reporter, 74 people in
40 households were enumerated during the course of the morning. [3]
“At that rate I'll finish my district in a little over a week. I
only have about 12,000 names to get,” the enumerator told his
friend. [3]

I was curious to see if I could find
the mentioned Michael Flynn in the 1910 census to see where in the
city the Telegraph reporter had been. Imagine my surprise when I
found no such person in Kalamazoo county when I searched both
FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. Perhaps, I thought, his name was
mangled so that it didn't turn up. I tried eliminating his given
name, expanded the birth range and didn't bother to include his birth
location. I looked in the 1900 census as well and didn't find
anything there either. The closest I came was a Michael Madigan of
the right approximate age, birthplace, marital status and with one
son living with him. Did the reporter change the name to “Michael
Flynn” to protect the man's privacy? I have no idea. Now I don't
know how much I can trust the article. If the rest is fairly
accurate then it gives us a glimpse into how census data about our
relatives was collected and that it wasn't strictly a Q&A
session.

Well, there were some enumerators who apparently just wanted a quick buck and made things up (see my post Curb Stoning The Census). However, I'm thankful for all the ones who diligently did their job (and who wrote the information legibly).